May 8 will be
"Ask the Question Sunday." Instead of a sermon, Carly will answer questions from the congregation. Bring your questions, doubts, wonderings, and queries about faith, the Bible, mission, ministry, or church and we'll give it a go.

October 15 - 21, 2017 - Adult Mission Trip to Back Bay Mission in Biloxi, Mississippi. This will be an amazing opportunity to serve others and make a difference in their lives. The best mission immersion experience in the United Church of Christ, our volunteers will work in several ministries from emergency assistance, the Micah Day Center, housing restoration, to supportive housing. Check out their website and set this time aside in your calendar.

Touch List

Your Cards and Prayers Will Comfort and Touch...

The Balz family.

Please keep the Schroeder family in your prayers with strength for Eileen (sister of Mary Bart) and peace for Ron (Eileen's husband) who died on March 7th.

Kathy Bloom.

Our thoughts are with Marjorie Duhatschek who is recovering from surgery.

Our thoughts are with LuAnn Hall's niece Jessica.

Bert Happel, Jim Happel's brother.

The family and friends of Lois Hindman, who died on April 2nd.

Linda Lauterbach's friend Sophia, her husband, and 22 month old son; Sophia has a brain tumor.

Petra Palmer's granddaughter's friend Summer who is having chemotherapy for leukemia.

Ron Sander, Erik Sander's father, as he and his family manage his ongoing illness.

The family of Michael Smith and the residents of Brookfield rocked by gun violence, random and too close to home.

Ben Walker, 14, son of Carly's friend Kurt who is struggling with Major Depressive Disorder.

Vera Weiss.

Music News

Choral Sermon - join the congregation on May 22 for the exuberant African Mass by Norman Luboff. The Chancel Choir, Treble Choir and soloists will be accompanied by a one person orchestra - the fabulous percussionist Angela Kepley on tuned drums. Come celebrate with the choirs on their last full Sunday until the fall.

Summer Musical Campregistrations will be available soon. This program is for students in 1st-8th grades and will take place from July 25-29 from 2-6pm. Performances will be 7pm on 7/29 and 10am on 7/31. This year's show will be "The Old Testament Fast Forward" which attempts to tell the entire history contained in the Old Testament in 35 minutes. We will likely not succeed, however we will have fun trying! Please contact Ryan Cox for more information.

Volunteer Opportunity

BEDS Plus Summer Volunteer Opportunities

This summer BEDS Plus is offering a transitional summer shelter. The program is modeled after other successful programs around the region that provide a smaller-scale summer shelter program for clients who need additional time to achieve stability.

Here is how it works -

- Clients must apply for transitional shelter with our program manager and comply with the same rules that apply during the regular season. Priority will be given to those who are employed and those waiting for permanent supportive housing placement.

- Clients must agree to stay at the shelter each night unless otherwise prearranged with their case manager.

- Up to 15 clients will qualify. As each client gets housing, another client may qualify.

- Volunteer crews will be smaller, with longer shifts. Clients will help with set up and clean up each day. Staff will be on-site each evening.

- Hours will be 7pm - 7am, just like the regular shelter season.

- Shelter is not advertised or open to new clients unless they go through the application process and there is an open spot.

- Shelter will rotate to a new church each week from June 6 through August 14 (10 weeks).

Our Congregation will host this transitional program for the week of July 10-17. While we are not responsible for providing volunteers, you are welcome to volunteer for the many tasks that hospitality of this kind requires. If you'd like to volunteer, please click here.

Church News and Reminders

THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

A big thank you to all who helped tie fleece blankets this winter. Fifty-three blankets were taken over to Loyola's Children's Hospital.

CONGREGATIONAL WORK DAY

Please save the date and join us for an afternoon of dirt, grime, a little sweat, and fellowship
this Saturday April 16th, from 1 to 5pm. Due to the success of last year's Work Days, the list is a little shorter but there is still plenty for all! Most items involve gardening, cleaning, and purging, but we also have fun activities like scraping, sanding, and painting exterior handrails and the 6th Avenue light post. And for those who enjoy climbing ladders and tight spaces, there are many roofs that need to be cleared of leaves.

BOWLING OUTING - APRIL 17th

This Sunday, April 17th @ 3pm, join the Ministry of Nurture at Suburbanite Bowl (Cass and Ogden) for an afternoon of bowling.
Cost is $10 per person to bowl as many games as you want. You can sign up in the Founder's Room during Coffee Hour or by emailing amanda.m.ries@gmail.com.

How Do We Talk To Our Kids About The Tough Issues?

Whether it's about who uses what restrooms or how our children understand their own gender identity, the conversation is not easy. To not talk about these issues is to tell our kids, by omission, that these things are either not important to us or are taboo. We need to break the silence. We need to talk. But where to begin?

Starting the Conversation... How to Talk to Your Kids About LGBTQ+ Issues

A guided discussion for parents and caregivers to learn how to navigate conversations about LGBTQ+ news, people and creating welcoming homes and communities for your children and their friends

Topics will include:

Understanding terminology

Using age-appropriate language

Identifying resources

Often times we hear that parents and supportive adults wish they had more tools for having conversations about diversity with their children. Join us for the opportunity to ask questions and learn terminology that young people are using, tactics for having age-appropriate conversations that promote greater understanding and inclusion and have a chance to network with community resources available for you and your family.

This evening is appropriate for families with children and adolescents ages K-12 or other adult allies who interact with young people.

Join us as we knit and crochet for charity. Beginners are welcome - we will be glad to give instruction. We meet every Monday except the first Monday of the month in the Family Room off the Chapel at 7pm.

BOOK CLUB

Evening Book Club will discuss On the Move: A Life by Oliver Sacks on Thursday, April 21st. On the Move is the story of a brilliantly unconventional physician and writer-and of the man who has illuminated the many ways that the brain makes us human. We meet in the cozy Chapel conference room and serve light treats. All are welcome!

MESSY CHURCH

On May 1st, Messy Church will be moving to the first Sunday of the month at 4:30pm. Our theme this month is New Life in the Spirit Pentecost Celebration. We hope to see you there!

Is Caring about others your passion? Do you enjoy visiting with others?
Called To Care is a program that will enhance the skills for and ministries of caring by church members. It will be offered over four
Tuesday evening events in May. They will begin at 7 p.m. and will finish before or by 9 p.m. each week. The sessions will build upon one another.

May 10: Entering into the Space of Others. Caring is a selfless act. How do we set our own agendas, feelings, opinions, issues aside and enter into someone else's space?

May 17: Communicating and Nurturing. Once we've learned to put our own "stuff" aside and enter into someone else's space, how do we listen? How do we show our caring? How might we let them see the Christ in us without being a pushy televangelist?

May 24: Care Giving Situations. What might we encounter in caring for others? How might we prepare ourselves? How do we help in unusual situations? How do we maintain healthy boundaries?

May 31: Faith in Action. Ministry is an authentic extension of our very selves. How might the skills, gifts, and graces we've explored be expressed within and outside of our own congregation? What are the needs, gaps, opportunities, and challenges within our community of faith? How are you being sent?

These sessions are designed to be very practical and will offer practice in the skills we are learning. There is no obligation on the part of participants to any specific role within the congregation; so if you'd like to come and learn, you are most welcome.

There are two methods of signing up for Called to Care training: On the
church website, or in the office.

Invitation to Congregation to Join Conversation Circles

Hosted by the Ministry of Missions FCCLG

Please join us on
May 22nd, 2016 when the Ministry of Missions will sponsor Conversation Circles *. Immediately after the church service and coffee hour, the World Café format will be used to explore any local community concerns which our participants wish to discuss. Topics may include but are not limited to subjects such as youth and young adult substance abuse, racial and ethnic educational inequalities, or issues of the homeless. The format is a very flexible way of identifying and discussing problems. There will be a group welcome and explanation of the process. Afterwards we will break into three to four separate tables with facilitators for the discussions. The groups will regather to determine how we want to move forward to create solutions for a chosen issue. The entire process will last 60 to 90 minutes. We hope to invite other area churches to work with us on a chosen issue later in the year. This is a wonderful opportunity to make our community a better place to live!

*Please note that this is not the same as a Peace Circle.

ALL AGES MISSION TRIP TO CINCINNATI, JULY 4-8

You are invited to participate in a hands-on mission to make a difference in the lives of inner city residents in Cincinnati.

Washington United Church of Christ was founded about 10 years before FCCLG as a primarily middle class, German congregation in the Camp Washington area of Cincinnati. By the early 1970s, the neighborhood around the church had become largely low-income. The remaining members of the church decided that rather than close or relocate, they would develop a new mission focus. This focus has always meant ministering with neighborhood residents, not just ministering to them.

Washington UCC welcomes groups of young people and adults who want to experience a hands-on urban ministry immersion. Housing and most meals are provided; there is a per-person fee.

Activities include fix-up, clean-up projects at the church and in the neighborhood, and working with neighborhood children, while also serving Christ in many other ways that lead to spiritual growth with positive practical results seen throughout our community.

Washington Church engages in several inner city missions:

Summer Youth Program is provided free of charge to the neighborhood children for eight-weeks, Monday-Thursday program. It includes breakfast, lunch, worship, Christian education, stories, art, songs, games, recreation, loving relationships, and field trips.

Camp Community Café serves a free lunch from 12-1 p.m. Monday-Thursday to anyone who attends.

Camp Cupboard and Closet is a free store where people can shop for food, clothes, and household items.

Depending upon the skill set of those who register, our work could include working an any or all of these areas, and/or repairing ministry space within the church or the neighborhood.

We will be staying in apartments of 4 dorm rooms each immediately across the street from the church. If arranged ahead of time, families will be able to stay together. Breakfast and lunch will be provided each day, and dinner will be provided one evening. Cooking facilities are available for other meals.

If you are interested in Reaching Out and Touching Lives through this mission trip, please see Carly for details, or click on Event Sign Up. Deadline to sign up is April 20.

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ST. BARBARA'S FOOD PANTRY COLLECTION

Please Help Fill the Shelves!

Thank you to those of who have donated to the St. Barbara's food pantry. Please know that your donations have been much appreciated. The need is ongoing, so let's try to fill the donation baskets this week! The pantry's shelves are well stocked with canned goods at present but have great need of the following: crackers (all types, including Ritz), snack packs of pudding, rice (brown and white), mayonnaise, and bottled salad dressings (1000 island, Italian, ranch). Thank you for helping!

Ministry of Missions

Children and Youth News

IT'S TIME FOR SUMMER CAMP!

No matter your age or your stage, our United Church of Christ Conference has a summer camp that is right for you. Whether at Tower Hill or Pilgrim Park, whether your interest is in sports or theatre, whether you want to spend a few days or a full week, there is a camp for you. Check out the offerings on the posters outside Sylvia's office, or online at the
Outdoor Ministries Website.

Yzals

The Yzals group (grades 6 to 8) continues to meet the 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month at 6:30.

Zackleys

The Zackleys group (grades 9 to 12) continues to meet on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of every month at 6:30 pm.